“I hope I don’t fall down.” Everly looked slightly concerned when she saw the sharp blades on the bottom of the skates.

“If you’re careful and don’t go too fast, you’ll be fine,” he said. “Besides, I’m going to help you, remember?”

Amanda and Miranda came in after Everly and Piper but before the adults. “Wow, it’s cold in here,” Amanda said, and her sister agreed, hugging herself and shivering.

“You’ll warm up once you get moving,” Tobias told them. “What size shoe do you wear?”

He was handing each of the twins a pair of skates when Harper, Terrance and Karoline finally caught up.

“It’s really nice of you to do this,” Karoline said after they’d exchanged greetings.

“It’s no problem.” Tobias turned on the Christmas music before getting the rest of the skates.

Terrance helped his girls and Karoline with their skates, so Tobias focused on Piper, Everly and, finally, Harper.

He could feel Harper watching him as he finished tying her laces. “I like your hands,” she said.

He glanced over to see if Karoline had heard. But the kids were talking and laughing so loudly she probably hadn’t. She was too busy telling her husband that her left skate needed to be tightened, and Terrance was trying to fix it.

“I like a lot more than that about you.” Tobias helped Harper up but let go of her as though he’d said something innocuous.

“Can I be first?” Piper cried when she saw that his hands were free.

“You bet. Just let me get my own skates on.”

The rink wasn’t crowded, but there were a few boys who were skating through dinner. Tobias was actually glad about that, because he knew them from school. When the three came over to say hello and see what he was doing, he recruited them to help teach the girls.

He could tell Amanda and Miranda were thrilled to have the attention of these older boys—all the giggling indicated they thought their helpers were cute—and Everly didn’t seem to mind, since it meant she wouldn’t have to take turns with Piper. That freed him to help Harper’s youngest while Terrance and Karoline, clinging to each other, gingerly stepped onto the ice after only a few instructions, and Harper watched from the side.

Piper loved the ice. She didn’t catch on very fast, but Tobias hadn’t expected much from a six-year-old who’d never been on skates. She mostly loved riding on his shoulders while he skated, which he let her do for a few minutes here and there, amid helping all the others. When he finally got Harper onto the ice, however, Piper was ready to try skating with her sister, two cousins and the boys.

“You’re a natural with kids,” Harper said as he guided her around the rink.